25 August 2011

Well, it’s done. The paperback edition of, Murder At The Rocks, is now published on Amazon along with my Kindle edition and I’m happy to say that the whole process went smoothly.

After receiving and approving my proof copy from CreateSpace, I uploaded the PDF file of my manuscript along with the full book cover image onto the site. This was made easy by the various prompts.
Once uploaded, I waited the obligatory 7 to 10 days for the book to appear on Amazon, linked, hopefully, to the Kindle edition. When they did not appear together and my paperback edition proved hard to find, I contacted CreateSpace Support who quickly fixed the problem.

For the benefit of those who would shy away from self publishing because they doubt their computer abilities, I must tell you that I am no computer geek, and if I can do this, anyone can. I will be happy to answer any questions you might have.

6 August 2011

Whether you
are going to self publish your book, are being traditionally published, or are
still writing your manuscript, you will need to think about its promotion. A good way to do this is to develop an author
platform. What on earth’s an author
platform? You ask. It’s, quite simply, a way of reaching your
audience, mainly through social media.

I’m a writer,
accustomed to sitting here alone in my study oblivious to the world outside. My computer literacy only extended to using my
word processing program and sending the occasional email. I’d never dabbled in Facebook or Twitter or
any other social networking, but after the publication of my first book, I
decided it was a necessity. To be quite
honest, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the whole experience. I’ve discovered a community of wonderful
people out there who not only love to write, but who share their experiences
and offer help so readily. Consequently,
I’m no longer sitting here alone.

I started
by joining GoodreadsIt’s a great site for both authors and
readers. It enables you to have an
author page where you can display your book(s), advertise and do
giveaways. Added to this you will find a
host of group to join where you can communicate with like minded people. I’ve found this a very helpful and friendly site
not only as an author but also as a reader.

With my
confidence growing, I decided to join FacebookYou may already be a member of Facebook, but
did you know that you can also have a Facebook
Fan Page that enables you to get your book(s) seen.

Next cameTwitter and to be quite honest, I’m
still coming to grips with it. Evenso, I’m
learning the lingo even to the point of retweeting RT, thanks to the help from another
Tweeter! Or is it Twitterer?

Finally,
a Blog is a must and here is
mine. A work in progress.

Of course, the above suggestions are just a start. There are so many great sites out there inhabited by wonderful people from all around the world.

5 August 2011

The setting
for the Fitzjohn Mystery series is Sydney.
It features Detective Chief Inspector Alistair Fitzjohn, a police
officer of the old guard, his methodical, painstaking methods viewed by some as
archaic. Nevertheless, over the years,
they have brought him success as well as the respect of all but one of his
colleagues; Superintendent Grieg, the man Fitzjohn regards as his nemesis.

Fitzjohn lives alone in his Birchgrove sandstone cottage
where he escapes the harrowing realities of his job by tending his orchids, a
legacy from his late wife, Edith. But he
can’t escape his sister, Meg, who is determined to help him through his grief.

His sergeant, Martin Betts, is an eager young detective even though having difficulty when it comes to viewing the unfortunate victims of crime, and occasionally finding himself a pawn in Superintendent Grieg's war against Fitzjohn.

Murder At The Rocksis set mainly around the historic Rocks
area of Sydney Harbour, and Circular Quay as shown here.

The settings for The Celtic Dagger, although going further afield
at times, are in and around the University of Sydney and the Australian Museum,
particularly the Bird Gallery.

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About Me

Mystery writer and author of The Celtic Dagger, Murder At The Rocks,Once Upon A Lie, Lane's End, Deadly Investment, Poisoned Palette and The Fourth String, all part of the Fitzjohn Mystery Series.I live in Australia, am an avid reader, love the theatre, travelling, photography and delving into my family's genealogy.